Trent Bridge

Paul Franks

Paul Franks spent much of the 2013 season working with the second XI, spearheading the attack and offering valuable experience to an increasingly youthful side.

Mick Newell’s willingness to rotate his bowling attack occasionally meant that one of the club’s most loyal servants was left on the sidelines, though when needed to inject passion into the attack late on, he was perfectly placed to return to the first team.

Perhaps Paul’s most outstanding achievement for Notts came in 1997, his first full season, when he took the county’s first hat-trick for a decade.

The following February he became a World Cup winner, helping the England Under-19 side defeat their New Zealand counterparts in the final in Johannesburg.

Paul appeared to be set for a lengthy international career when he represented his country in an ODI against the West Indies on his home Trent Bridge ground in 2000 but, sadly, a period out of the game with a troublesome knee injury then disrupted his progress.

‘The General’, as he is known, has become an integral part of the Nottinghamshire squad ever since with his lively medium-pacers and reliable left-handed batting and has now amassed more than 6,000 first class runs and 500 wickets.

A never-say-die competitor, and quickly becoming as synonymous with Nottinghamshire as Robin Hood himself, Paul was a member of the county’s title-winning side in both 2005 and 2010.

After being named Second XI captain for the forthcoming season and working to complete his ECB Level 4 coaching qualifications, Franks will offer another option when needed and will always perform with passion and ability.